Target indicating means.



I. L. REEVES.

TARGET INDIGATING MEANS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 23, 1911.

1,121,867. Patented Dec. 22, 1914.

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Ina L. REEVES, or NATICK, MASSACHUSETTS.

TARGET INDICATING TMEANS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 22, 1914.

Application filed August 23, 1911. Serial No. 645,618.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, IRA L. Rnnvns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Natick, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Target Indicating Means, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to target indicating means, the object of the invention being to provide an apparatus of this character by which shooters scores can be indicated in numbers or otherwise.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of. the present specification T have shown in detail one convenient form of embodiment of the invention which to enable those skilled in the art to practise the same will be set forth fully in the following decription, while the novelty of the invention will be included in the claims succeeding said description. From this statement it will be clear that I do not restrict myself to the showing made by the drawings and description, which is provided primarily to enable those skilled in the art to practise the invention; 1 may depart from said disclosure in several respects within the scope of the invention included in the claims following said description.

Referring to said drawings: Figure 1 is a front elevation of target indicating means including my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, said figure also illustrating means for operating a vending or other device. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section showing a portion of the dial supporting bracket, certain gearing and cooperating parts hereinafter more particularly described.

' Like characters refer to like parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

It is my custom to mount the operative parts of the device upon a framework which may be of any suitable kind, the framework shown involving in its make-up a column or standard 5 adapted to be bolted or otherwise rigidly fastened to a floor or other foundation. As shown this column or standard is of approximately inverted U-form.

The device preferably includes a movable object as will hereinafter appear, which is adapted to be operated by the impact or force of a bullet or other missile, the movement of this object when thus operated be ing transferred through suitable mechanism to indicating means or some other device all as will'hereinafter appear. These sevoral parts may be of any desirable character. I prefer to associate with such a movable obyect a target, and this target may also vary as to nature. A target such as satisfactorlly answers my requirements is that denoted in a general way by 6 and which as shown consists of a disk of metal or molded plastic material vertically disposed after the usual fashion. The target 6 has a substantially central circular hole 7 constituting the bulls eye and after the bullet or equivalent missile passes through this hole it is adapted to strike a movable object as 8 hereinafter more particularly described. When a bullet passes through the bulls eye 7, this indicates the highest score, usually being 5. The other portions of the target count re spectively from the portion next to the bulls eye outward 4, 3, :2 and 1 all as usual. The numbering of the different portions of the target and the score for the bulls eye are all arbitrary, however, and naturally may be varied. The target 6 is shown supported by the parallel horizontal arms 9 extending forward from and suitably connected to the branches or legs of the standard 5, said arms being also rigidly connected with the target.

The indicating means in the present instance involves a dial or equivalent part as 10 which may as shown be rigidly supported by parallel horizontally-disposed arms 11 extending forwardly from the legs of the standard 5 at a point above the arms 9, and

this dial or indicating member 10 may bear.

upon its front face numerals or other data for indicating the score or scores of a shooter. In connection with the dial 10 is a finger or pointer 12 which is perforated to receive the threaded shank of a sleeve 13 fitted to the arbor .or shaft 14: and held thereon adjustably by the screw 15, the said finger or pointer 12 being held on said threaded shank by a nut 16. The dial 10 has a substantially central opening through which the sleeve 13 passes, it being understood that the aXis of rotation of the shaft 1a is coincident with the center of the dial 10.

The shaft 1 is Supported for rotation by suitable bearings upon the bracket or shelf 17, the sleeves at its ends being on the supporting arms 11 and held thereto by set Screws 18. Pinned or otherwise fastened to said shaft 14: is a pinion 19 the teeth of which mesh with those of a crown wheel 20 which is generally loose upon a transversely disposed shaft 21 supported by a suitable bearing on the bracket 17. Rigidly connected with the crown wheel 20 is a ratchet wheel 22, and this connection may be by one or more pins 23.

Cooperative with the ratchet wheel 22 is a pawl 24 located at the end or forming part of the arm 25 which is shown as being of bowed form and which is rigid with the rock shaft 26 supported by bearings on the legs of the standard 5. The shaft 26 is provided with a second arm 27 and the movable object 8 to which I have already referred is connected with this second arm at or near the lower end thereof. As shown this movable object is of triangular form, being situated between the supporting arms 9 and having its center normally coincident with the center of the bulls eye or hole 7. When a bullet passes through the bulls eye 7 it strikes this object 8 moving it rearward, by reason of which the pawl A will be thrown down into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel so as to turn said ratchet wheel in the direction of the arrow indicated in Fig. 2 thereby moving through the intermediate parts the index or finger 12 in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1. If the object S be struck squarely in the center the movement thereof will be greater than if said object be struck at one side of said center so that the more accurate the shot the greater will be the score. A bullet may also strike sufficiently near the bulls eye as to cause part of its material to spatter against the object 8. This will naturally cause a comparatively small movement of the said object 8 and necessarily indicate a lower score. The shaft 26 is provided with an adjustable counterweight 29 adapted to be held in an adjusted position on said arm by the set screw 30, this counterweight serving as a balance for the two arms 25 and 27 and the parts carried thereby so that the pendulous object 8 has no tendency of its own to move in either direction.

Suspended by a wire or equivalent part 30 from the column 5 is a gong or bell 31 which may consist of a fiat plate and which is adapted to be operated by the hammer 32 fastened to and extending rearward from the movable object 8, when said object is moved by the impact of the bullet sulliciently far rearwardly.

I may, if desired connect with the movable missile-operated object, vending or equivalent mechanism which may be actuated from a shaft as 33' provided with a pinion 34 meshing with the rack 35 and connected by a cord 36 with a pendent projection 37 of the nendulous object 8, said cord passing around guide pulleys 38. When the object 8 is moved rearward the rack 35 will be moved in the direction of the arrow thereby turning the ratchet wheel 34; and consequently the shaft 33 whereby said shaft will operate vending or other suitable mechanism. To the rack 35 is connected a coiled spring 39, said coiled spring also be ing connected with some suitable fixed part as the pin 40 whereby the said rack will not be operated with any excessive amount of shock.

I desire to call attention to the fact that the object 8 is shifted rearwardly by the bullet or other missile, and that on such movement the flexible pawl 25, preferably of spring type, is moved idly or ineifectively along the teeth of the ratchet wheel 22 and without turning said ratchet wheel; at the same time the weight 29 is moved upward. This weight serves as a means for positively imparting a working stroke to the pawl 25 and therefore also to the ratchet wheel 22. In other words the ratchet wheel or equivalent part 22 is not operated when the object 8 is shifted by the missile, the force of the latter being adapted to set the weight 29 or analogous part, into position where it can return the pawl 25 or some similar part to its normal position. I provide pawl and ratchet mechanism and actuating means therefor set in operative position by a missile, and this actuating means is positive in nature, consisting in the construction shown of the weight 29 which is set in operative position through the primary agency of the missile and which acts by gravity to impart a working stroke to the pawl 25. Owing to the fact that the pawl is flexible it is practically impossible for the same to be broken.

What I claim is:

1. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a target having a hole constituting a bulls eye, a movable object back of the target, and in line with said hole, an indicatin dial, a pointer in connection with said dial, a ratchet wheel operatively connected with the pointer for turning the same, a rock shaft provided with a counter weighted arm, a bowed arm rigidly connected with said rock shaft and having a pawl for operating said ratchet wheel, and a third arm united with said shaft and to which said object is connected.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a column having side legs, a pair of rods connected with said legs and extending forward therefrom, a target supported by said rods, having a central hole constituting a bulls eye, a movable object between said rods, back of and in line with said hole, a second pair of rods connected with the legs above the first mentioned rods, an indicating dial supported by the second pair of rode, a ratchetwheel between said second pair of rods, means for transferring the effect of said ratchet wheel to said pointer, and mechanism involving a pawl engaging said ratchet wheel, operable by said movable object when the same is thrust rearwardly by a missile that has passed through said hole.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a dial, a pointer cooperative with said dial, a rotary shaft to which said pointer is connected, a pinion fastened to said shaft, a crown wheel in mesh with said pinion, a ratchet Wheel rigidly connected with said crown wheel, a rock arm provided with a pawl cooperative with said ratchet wheel, a target having a hole constituting a bulls eye, a movable object at the rear of the target, in line with said hole, and shiftable by a missile passing through said hole, and means for transferring the eflect of said object to said rock arm to cause said pawl to engage and turn the ratchet when said object is shifted by a missile.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a dial, a pointer cooperative with said dial, a rotary shaft to which said pointer is connected, a pinion fastened to said shaft, a crown wheel in mesh with said pinion, a ratchet wheel rigid with said crown wheel, a rock shaft provided with an arm equipped with a pawl cooperative with said ratchet wheel, said rock shaft also having a second arm, a third arm connected with the shaft and provided with a counter balance, a target having a hole constituting a bulls eye, and an object back of the target, in line with said hole and connected with said second arm.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

IRA L. REEVES.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. TEMPLE, LYNETTE CLARK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G. 

